Daddy's Promises
by BehrBeMine
Summary: Promises may be enough for Delia, but they'll never be enough for Ephram.


Title: Daddy's Promises  
Author: BehrBeMine (Elise)  
Feedback: I need it like Ephram needs his father. behrbemine@hotmail.com  
Distribution: My sites, 'EverFic' (http://everelise.tripod.com/) and 'Solemn One' (http://solemnone.tripod.com/). To archive anywhere else, just ask.  
Summary: Promises may be enough for Delia, but they'll never be enough for Ephram.  
Rating: G  
Pairing: none  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Don't sue, I'll cry. ;p  
Spoilers: The Pilot  
  
  
Sometimes Ephram wishes he could be nine years old again. He watches Delia get along with their father, and he wonders if it's her age or her personality that makes her so forgiving.  
  
Dad missed Delia's school play in first grade. She played Wendy in 'Peter Pan'. She totally lit up the stage; completely stole the show. Mom was so proud. But Dad wasn't there to see his daughter's shining moment.  
  
And yet she had hugs and kisses for him the following morning before he left for work. Ephram sat at the breakfast table shooting daggers at Dr. Brown with his eyes, angry at him because Delia just couldn't be. Ephram used to get frustrated with her because she never lost patience with Dad, never pointed out his faults. When Ephram confronted her about it, Delia would just give him a shrug of her shoulders and an innocently blank stare.  
  
She couldn't be mad at her father. He was her dad; he was her hero.  
  
Dad showed up to a piano recital of Ephram's once. It shocked him so much that he didn't know how to feel. He convinced himself he didn't care how he played because it didn't matter if Dad was impressed or not, but in his heart he needed his father to have a reason to be proud of him.  
  
As he sat down at the piano bench, his hands started shaking. He looked out into the audience and saw his dad near the door at the back, talking into his cell phone, focusing elsewhere when his eyes were supposed to be glued to the stage. Tears burned at the back of Ephram's eyelids as he turned back to the piano. That was the worst concert of his life. He played terribly, but it didn't matter. His father wasn't paying attention, anyway.  
  
Dad was always full of promises. For all of them. It was a goal that he would never prove to his wife: to be a better husband, a better father. But in spite of her death, he promised to keep trying.  
  
Ephram would like to take that as a sign to be happy, but he knows from experience that just because something is supposed to happen, with his dad it probably won't. Good things just don't happen when it comes to Dad in relation to his family.  
  
Ephram has accepted that. Now if only he could convince Delia to.  
  
He watches his little sister interact with Dad, her little girl happiness making Dad laugh and smile. Ephram isn't fooled - - sure, Dad pays her attention every once in a while, but it doesn't make up for anything. He's just waiting for the day when his sister's heart will be broken in two. When she'll realize just how terrible a father she'll always have.  
  
Now they've started over, in a new town, where things are supposed to be better. Moving to the mountains... great. Delia gets her own horse... terrific. Ephram gets pulled away from all of his friends and everyone he's ever known... fantastic.  
  
There's nothing in this town but snow and cold weather, high mountains that Ephram will never climb. A two doctor rivalry that's got the entire little town in an uproar.  
  
A beautiful girl who's already taken.  
  
Nothing here for Ephram but more of the familiar disappointment that's always been associated with his father. He lets his dad's promises fly right over his head. He closes his eyes to the fatherly looks of reassurance, closes his ears to the words that are always a lie.  
  
He watches his sister grow to adore her father more and more every day. Feels his stomach clench to see the two members of his family acting as if they've always been close.  
  
He lets the promises melt away into the emptiness they resemble and remembers that they'll never come true.  
  
- -  
end 


End file.
